Signs of alien life

Vietnam’s seafood exports were estimated at nearly US$5.8 billion in the first half of 2022, up 40 percent compared to the same period last year, the Vietnam Association of Seafood Exporters and Producers (VASEP) reported. Although the growth has shown signs of slowing down, seafood exports in June still brought in over $1 billion, similar to May and up 23 percent year on year. In the second quarter of 2022, the industry's sales exceeded $3.2 billion, a nearly 36 percent increase compared to the $2.4 billion recorded in the same period of 2021. Shrimp exports in the first six months topped $2.3 billion, up 33 percent year on year and accounting for 40 percent of the country’s seafood shipments. Inflation and lack of raw materials are posing challenges for local shrimp businesses, thus many firms have decided to increase the proportion of value-added shrimp and sell them to demanding markets such as Japan, the U.S., and the EU. With regard to pangasius, the country's exports … [Read more...] about Vietnam’s seafood exports near $5.8bn in January-June

Hundreds of unique recycled products created by vocational school students were presented at an environmental protection event in Da Nang City, central Vietnam on Saturday. Taking place at the Da Nang Vocational Training College, the event was organized for the first time by the Directorate of Vocational Education and Training under the Ministry of Labor, War Invalids, and Social Affairs. Its goal was to promote a green lifestyle and students’ roles in environmental protection, contribute to the establishment of green schools, and limit plastic waste at vocational education institutions. Students introduce handicrafts made from recyclable materials at an environmental protection event in Da Nang City, central Vietnam, July 2, 2022. Photo: Doan Nhan / Tuoi Tre The event was joined by nearly 2,000 students of vocational schools in Da Nang and nearby provinces. The participants presented a variety of recycled products, namely handbags sewn from used tarpaulin, … [Read more...] about Vocational school students present recycled items at environmental protection event in Da Nang

Chairman of Ho Chi Minh City People's Committee Phan Van Mai signs a regulation on the construction coordination of the Ring Road 3 Project in Ho Chi Minh City with leaders of three provinces of Long An, Binh Duong and Dong Nai at the conference. Regarding the investment capital, the HCMC People’s Committee submitted to the Prime Minister an adjustment of the central budget capital of VND17,146 billion (US$734.5 million) from the Ministry of Transport and allocated the unallocated central budget capital of VND 14,233 billion (US$610 million) to the provinces and HCMC for timely project implementation. Speaking at the conference, Director of Ho Chi Minh City Department of Transport Tran Quang Lam said that the People's Committees of three provinces and HCMC have directed departments, relevant agencies and units to implement component projects according to the assigned timelines under the direction of Deputy Prime Minister Le Van Thanh. Specifically, the Ring Road 3 investment and … [Read more...] about HCMC, three localities strengthen coordination to promptly implement Ring Road 3

General Nguyen Chi Thanh Museum is built on an area of 650sq.m at 144, Dang Thai Than Street, Thuan Hoa ward, Hue City. The museum displays around 400 documents, artifacts and photos briefing the life and revolutionary career of General Nguyen Chi Thanh and his contribution to Thua Thien Hue’s revolution in particular and to the resistance war for national independence and freedom and socialism building in the North in general. The displayed documents, artifacts and photos are divided into themes, namely hometown, families, revolutionary career, General Nguyen Chi Thanh’s important milestones, and gratitude of his families, hometown and nation to the late General. Of the displays, there are photos, documents and artifacts made public for the first time. They include General Nguyen Chie Thanh’s writings about military building, fighting against individualism, and agriculture. On the occasion, the General Department of Political Affairs presented a set of books about General Nguyen … [Read more...] about General Nguyen Chi Thanh Museum opens up to visitors

The event was held by the Vietnam Women’s Union (VWU) to celebrate the two countries’ Solidarity and Friendship Year 2022. On behalf of the President of Vietnam, the VWU presented the third-class Independence Order to three individuals, the third-class Labor Order to one collective, the Friendship Order to 15 collectives and three individuals, and the Friendship Medal to two individuals of the LWU in recognition of their major contribution to the traditional friendship, special solidarity, and comprehensive cooperation between the two parties and states. On this occasion, the two unions signed a cooperation agreement for 2022 - 2027, showing their wish and determination to promote relations via more practical and effective activities in the next five years. So far, the VWU chapters in 15 Vietnamese localities have had cooperation deals and activities with 13 localities and partners of Laos. Their joint activities include sharing experience in women affairs, developing livelihoods … [Read more...] about Collectives, individuals of Lao Women’s Union honored with Vietnam’s orders, medals

With the recent inauguration of many pedestrian streets, themed spaces, and night tours, authorities in Hanoi hope to give the city’s night economy a major boost. Every evening at about 7:00 pm, Hanoi’s Old Quarter begins to bustle with tourists rushing between shops, food stalls, and entertainment venues. The Old Quarter’s evening rush holds such a footing in Hanoian culture that nicknames have even been given to certain areas. The intersection of Ta Hien and Luong Ngoc Quyen Streets, for example, is affectionately called 'International Intersection' while Ta Hien Street is known as 'Beer Street,' Gam Cau Street is known as 'BBQ Street,' To Lich street is called 'Mixed Fruit Street,' and Tong Duy Tan Street is dubbed 'Food Street.' Weekends in the Old Quarter are especially busy, with groups of tourists and locals gathering in the area for entertainment and food, art performance venues, and karaoke parlors. The pedestrian street around Hoan Kiem Lake has also been a major … [Read more...] about Hanoi seeks to develop night economy

Any foreigner who can unscramble the rich tapestry of the Vietnamese language deserves the keys to the city, a Nobel Prize, a Golden Buzzer from Simon, and, while we’re at it, let’s toss in an honorary ambassadorship. The plethora of homonyms, at least to the Western ear, is an exciting feature, as there is nothing more catastrophic than calling someone a horse’s ass when you simply want to wish them a nice day. It’s not as if the language had a few ups and downs here and there as does every tongue, but conveying even the simplest sentiments can be precarious. How about the infamous ‘em yêu anh, anh yêu em, em thương anh’ and ‘anh thương em” jigsaw puzzle? It’s damn good that most people know ‘I love you’ in English, for sorting the ‘em’s’ from the ‘anh’s’ and the north from the south is quite a hurdle. Let’s look at personal pronouns in Vietnamese because addressing people is the first and most basic step in any relationship, thus a logical starting point. That innocent … [Read more...] about Vietnamese language torture

The chance of finding 27 crew members alive from a vessel that snapped in two as tropical storm Chaba passed through Hong Kong and southern China is "very slim", government rescue authorities said on Sunday, as the search for those missing continued. On Saturday, authorities rescued three of 30 crew members as strong winds and rain battered the coast and waters about 300 km (200 miles) southwest of the city, Hong Kong Government Flying Service said. The site of the incident was surrounded by about 100 wind turbines that, compounded with gusts reaching up to 140 km per hour, had hampered rescue efforts. The search area had been widened but the chance of finding survivors was "very slim", West Wu, controller of the Government Flying Service of Hong Kong, said on Sunday. Hong Kong sent nine aircraft to jointly conduct search and rescue operations with forces from the mainland. Some of the crew had likely abandoned the vessel as it snapped in two, the surviving crew members told … [Read more...] about Chance of finding missing crew off Hong Kong ‘very slim’ after storm: authorities

Representatives of 29 tourism businesses from Ha Noi, HCM City and the north-central region signed agreements to link tourism development on July 1 in Nghe An Province. — VNA/VNS Photo Van Ty Tourism links would boost activity in each locality, contribute to the promotion of local tourism brands in the domestic market and enhance the competitiveness of Vietnamese tourism in the international market, vice chairwoman of the HCM City People's Committee Phan Thi Thang said at a recent forum on linking tourism development. The forum was held in Nghe An Province last Friday to foster tourism links between Ha Noi, HCM City and six north-central provinces of Nghe An, Ninh Binh, Thanh Hoa, Ha Tinh, Quang Binh and Quang Tri. Phan Thi Thang said besides tourism links within the north-central region, the six provinces needed to boost tourism cooperation with key tourism regions, and create unique tourism products. “With experience in developing tourism linkages with other regions, HCM … [Read more...] about Ha Noi, HCM City foster tourism links with north-central region